IYC insists on planned shutting down of NDDC headquarters

The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, yesterday, vowed to continue with its planned protests and closure of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State over Federal Government’s failure to address appointment of interim administrations for the commission.

It also faulted the report credited to its President, Peter Timothy Igbifa on the alleged reversal of the planned protests and shut down of the commission’s head office.

The group described Igbifa’s position as ‘frivolous’ as he was still on two months suspension from office as President of the Council.

IYC leaders, who were represented by zonal chairmen, Tobin James (Eastern Zone), Frank Akiefa (Western zone), Clever Inodu, (Central zone), and Diplomat Marbo (Abuja Chapter), made this position known in a statement in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

They declared that the planned protest and shut down of the NDDC headquarters was an action against President Muhammadu Buhari refusal to name a board for the commission as provided in the act establishing the NDDC, an action they said, was aimed at shortchanging and under-developing the region.

In a joint statement, they said despite the statement credited to Igbifa, the plan to shutdown NDDC headquarters was on top gear and endorsed by all structures of the IYC.

“Igbifa never supported the agitations for a substantive board for the NDDC and so, he doesn’t have any right to call for the stoppage of the protest. We will proceed with the protestation for President Buhari to do the right thing by appointing the substantive board of the NDDC that will carry out it functions properly.

“We call on all well-meaning Ijaw youths not to be distracted by Igbifa’s statement, which does not reflect the decision of Council.

When contacted, Spokesman of IYC, Ebilade Ekerefe, confirmed the development, insisting that the decision of the zonal leaders to embark on a protest and shut down the NDDC headquarters, was legitimate and those canvassing cancellation of the protest were enemies of the Niger Delta region.

Ebilade restated that the protest was borne out of genuine desire of the Ijaw youths to demand a substantive board that would facilitate development of the Niger Delta region.